Thieves of Ruins Chronicles - Book 1

Simula

Nakakabinging kulog ang dumagundong sa kalangitan bago tuluyang bumagsak ang malakas na ulan, kasunod pa nito'y magkakasunod na kidlat, nagbigay ito ng panandalian na liwanag sa loob ng abandonadong gusali ng hospital.

Naliligo sa sariling pawis, mabigat ang mabibilis na padyak ng isang lalaki. Humahangos siyang tumatakbo palayo sa halimaw na humahabol sa kanya, hawak lamang ang maliit na patalim na napulot niya sa daan kanina.

He anxiously stopped and wandered his eyes around in haste. Sa tulong ng liwanag mula sa bawat kidlat ay tagumpay siyang nakakita ng pagtataguan. A huge steel cabinet was placed at the edge of the wrecked room. He ran towards it and hid himself behind it with his heart palpitating. He tried to conceal his breathing until he heard faint footsteps inside, almost near him.

Fuck! Why is that thing already here?

His grip on the knife tightened, preparing himself for the possible battle. Maliit man ang tyansa na matalo niya ang halimaw ay mas mabuting mamatay siya na lumalaban. It's always better to take risks than not to try at all. Nandito na rin lang man siya sa sitwasyon na wala ng matatakbuhan pa kaya ibibigay na lamang niya ang buong makakaya niya, even if it means losing his own life.

Fear engulfed him, he closed his eyes and took a deep, heavy breath. He counted five until he decided to open his eyes. Lumabas siya mula sa pinagtataguan. Hahakbang pa lamang sana siya upang harapin ang halimaw ng kumidlat na naman at nagliwanag sa loob ng silid ngunit huli na upang makalaban pa siya dahil naging kasing bilis ng paglaho ng liwanag ang mga kilos ng halimaw na tuluyang bumawi sa buhay niya.

"Fucking fuck!" He uttered, his voice is as cold as his eyes, staring at the dead character he used. Marahas n'yang binitawan ang console at hinubad ang VR headset na itinapon lamang niya sa sofa.

"Kung kailan isang quest na lang!" He continued in an almost whisper. Hindi naman ito nakatakas sa matinis na pandinig ng kaibigan na nasa kabilang linya ng tawag kaya hindi nito napigilan ang matawa. "Died already?" Nang-aasar ang himig na tanong nito sa kanya.

Iling na bumusangot ang ekspresyon ni Aki.

"You guess?" Sarkastikong tugon niya. Muli ay malakas na pumalahaw ang tawa ng kaibigan.

"Stop laughing, loser!"

"I just can't. You've been playing at that level for three months now. Is it that hard, dude? Parang hindi naman, ah!" Ayaw paawat na pang-uuyam ng kaibigan sa kanya.

"Oh, yeah? Said by an old player, huh?"

"Yeah but not too old like you."

"I'm talking about the game, Dast-dumb ass!"

Dast. He is the mysterious friend he met through virtual games. Siya ang nag-introduce ng larong Run, Hide and Kill na nilalaro ni Aki kanina. But Aki played really bad. Hindi man lang siya makausad sa level 5 dahil kung hindi ito nahuhulog sa bangin ay madalas naman silang magharap ng halimaw na bantay ng lugar.

Lalo lamang hindi napigilan ni Dast ang tawa. Ngayon lamang siya nakakilala ng player na hindi man lang makaalis ng level 5 since it is still consider as an easy level. Kung hindi nga lang din kinokonsider ni Aki na kaibigan ang misteryosong kausap na bukod sa ign at sa totoong edad lamang ang alam nito'y pinatayan na niya ng tawag ang isang 'to, knowing Aki's personality and patience, he won't give even a little shit with anyone.

"I won't play that game anymore," Aki frustratingly announced. Hinablot niya sa mini glass table ang naka-loud speaker n'yang cellphone at tumungo sa kusina.

Aki's sole reason for playing virtual games is to have an outlet for his life frustrations and stress, but the game itself gives him another frustrating situation. Dying multiple times at that low-level game provides him with boredom instead.